Applicant""s present invention is directed to a medical gas utility stand for connection to at least one remote medical gas source. The medical gas utility stand of the present invention allows for the remote gas sources, which are typically located the walls of hospital room, to be effectively organized and to be brought into proximity of the medical apparatuses that require the use of the various gases. The gas utility stand includes a base, a support member, a gas connection member and at least one pair of identical gas fittings. The base is in operative contact with a support surface such as a floor or the ground and is connected to the bottom end of the support member.
The gas connection member has at least one gas conduit having an input end and an opposing output end. The gas conduit defines a gas passage extending between the input end and the output end. The gas connection member is preferably fixedly connected to the support member near the top end of the support member. Each gas fitting has an attachment end and an opposing securing end and defines a bore extending between the attachment end and the securing end. The securing ends of one pair of identical gas fittings are detachably secured to the opposing input end and output end of one gas conduit so that the bores of the pair of identical gas fittings are in communication with the gas passage of the gas conduit.
Because different types of identical gas fittings can be secured to the input and output end of each gas conduit, the gas utility stand of the present invention advantagously allows a user to selectively choose any desired combination of medical gases desired by simply selecting the appropriate pair of identical gas fittings for each specific gas conduit. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, each gas fitting has a unique shape based upon a specific type of medical gas. Therefore, because of each gas fitting""s unique shape, only medical accessories, medical equipment and/or gas conduit lines that are designed to utilize the specific medical gas may be detachably secured to the attachment end of a given gas fitting.
The gas utility stand may also have at least one gas conduit line. Each gas conduit line has a first end and a second end. Additionally, each gas line has a pair of gas connectors. One gas connector is fixedly attached to the first end and the other gas connector is fixedly attached to the second end of the gas conduit line. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, each gas connector has a shape that is complementary to the attachment end of one type of gas fitting. In operation, the gas connector at the first end of the gas conduit line is detachably connected to attachment end of one gas fitting that is secured within the input end of one gas conduit. Further, the gas connector at the second end of the gas conduit line is detachably connected to one medical gas source. Thus, the gas conduit line is in fluid communication with one medical gas source and, resultantly, the attachment end of the gas fitting that is detachably secured within the opposing output end of the gas conduit is in fluid communication with the one medical gas source. Because of the requirement that the shapes of the attachment end of the gas fitting and the gas connector be complementary for operable connection of the gas connector to the attachment end of the gas fitting, only the desired gas conduit line having the appropriate gas connectors can be detachable secured to a specific gas fitting. This ensures that only the desired medical gas from the medical gas source is supplied to the gas conduit.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the gas utility stand may also have a mounting plate that is detachably attached to the support member intermediate the base and the gas connection member. The mounting plate has a plurality of slide brackets for the detachable attachment of medical accessories.
In a third embodiment of the present invention, the gas utility stand may also include a hose bracket plate that is detachably attached to the support member intermediate the base and the gas connection member. The bracket plate has at least one pair of opposing toggle hangers that are connected to the front surface of the bracket plate. Each pair of opposing toggle switches define a pair of opposed slots so that a coil of the gas conduit line can be removably secured within the defined slots.
In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the gas utility stand may also include both a mounting plate and a hose bracket plate as previously described. It is preferred that the mounting plate be detachably connected to the support member proximate the base and the bracket plate be detachably mounted to the support member intermediate the mounting plate and the gas connection member.